


The Importance of Hair

by Ellsey



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Hair, Hair clip origin story, lots of hair, that you never knew you wanted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-11 20:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15323556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellsey/pseuds/Ellsey
Summary: Hiyori is having a hard time adjusting to exile, so Shinji decides to help out in his own unique way.





	The Importance of Hair

**Author's Note:**

> Shiyori Week Day 3! The theme was "hair brush."

Hiyori stared at her limp hair in the mirror. It looked just as drab as everything else in this dumb Living World. She had never been one to worry too much about her looks, preferring her practical pigtails. Besides, when you were friends with someone who was constantly preening, you sometimes had to make the decision to be the one to get ready quickly. This was just sad though.

It certainly felt like a reflection of her current situation. Exile had been...difficult. More than she thought it would be. For a world that was supposed to be alive, it was sure dull. Humans went from day to day trying to accomplish so many different things, never stopping to enjoy what little time they actually had to be alive. The whole lot were dumber than anyone Hiyori had met before, and that was saying quite a bit. 

Hiyori sighed. There was nothing to be done about it in the end. She was stuck here and would just have to make the best of it. Sad hair and all. She sensed Shinji approaching and cringed. Of course Mr. Perfect Hair would be the one to find her here moping. Naturally Shinji adapted to every change of style through the years with ease. He was constantly changing his hair and clothing. If anyone fit in the with humans with no problem, it was Shinji. He almost seemed to see it as some sort of game. How many humans could he fool into thinking he was their age? It seemed to be a source of never ending amusement for him. 

“What ‘cha up to?” he asked. 

Hiyori thought about trying to change the subject, but he would weasel it out of her eventually. He always did. “Just thinking about how my limp hair is a sad reflection of this stupid world we’re stuck in.”

“Why is it sad? I mean it’s gotten pretty long, and you could definitely use a style to it. It’s fine though.”

“Oh yeah? Well since you’re so perfect, why don’t you do something about it?” 

To Hiyori’s surprise, Shinji began running his hands through her hair. “You just need to take some length off. And maybe add some layers,” he said. 

He grabbed the hairbrush she had sitting on nearby and began to brush through her hair. Hiyori closed her eyes and gave in to the rhythm of brushing. It was soothing. Relaxing almost. 

“You should let me cut this,” Shinji said in his most soothing voice possible. 

“MmmmmIdon’tthinkso,” Hiyori mumbled

“C’mon, you’ll love it. I’ll even let you cut mine in return.”

Hiyori gave a slight laugh. The idea of cutting Shinji’s hair was ridiculous. He loved that mane more than life. He must be pretty concerned about her to offer that.

She gave a sigh. “Fine, have your way with me.”

“Eh?”

“Err, my hair. You can cut my hair idiot,” she quickly replied.

Shinji made quick work of her hair. When he stepped back, she looked in the mirror in surprise. The face she saw staring back at her was still Hiyori, but somehow she looked a bit softer. She wondered if this was how Shinji saw her. Not as his bristly (and somewhat violent) best friend, but as his someone who could potentially be kind and caring. Or was she just projecting what she wanted him to see in her? 

“Ok, my turn,” Shinji said, shoving her out of her chair.

Hiyori rolled her eyes. “I’m going to butcher it you know.”

Shinji laughed. “It’s just hair. Besides, we all know my hair looks good no matter what. Do your worst.”

Hiyori had no idea what she was doing. She had never cut hair before. So she simply cut straight lines. One in the back, one on each side, and one sharp fringe across the front. When she look at her handiwork, she was impressed with herself. He actually looked really good.

Shinji looked at himself in the mirror. He tilted his head this way and that. He gave a low whistle. “Man, I look good even for me. Thanks Hiyori!”

“You look like a dumb baldy,” Hiyori said with a snarl.

“No, I look super fine. I’m going to put you in charge of cutting my hair from now on. You have just the edge I need.”

“Not going to happen,” declared Hiyori.

“Oh, it’s happening,” said Shinji smugly.

Shinji was right in this instance. Partial maintenance duties for Shinji’s hair fell onto Hiyori’s slim shoulders. His excuse was that he couldn’t cut his own hair, although Hiyori was pretty sure he was just trying to give her things to do.

As for her hair, Hiyori quickly discovered that Shinji had deftly left it long enough for pigtails. That was a relief. The front of her hair kept falling in her face though. It was driving her crazy. 

“What am I supposed to do with these?” she yelled at Shinji.

“With what?” Shinji asked in confusion.

“All these bits that keep falling in my face. It’s annoying. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted to you do my hair!” she raged.

“Please, you know it looks way better than before,” Shinji scoffed.

“IT’S GOING TO DRIVE ME CRAZY!” 

Shinji rolled his eyes. “Whatever, you’ll live,” he said as he quickly left the room.

Hiyori was in a funk the rest of the afternoon. The other Visoreds were making sure to keep out of her way. The only person who could deal with her like this was Shinji, and he had disappeared earlier in the day. This seemed to enrage Hiyori even more.

“WHERE IS THAT DUMB BALDY?? I’M GOING TO KILL HIM!!”

“Shut yer trap,” Shinji drawled behind her. “The entire neighborhood can probably hear you, you ungrateful brat.”

Hiyori looked ready to launch herself at him when he threw a small package at here. 

“Here, this should solve all your problem and make you cuter in the process.”

“I’m not trying to be....I mean I’m always…” Hiyori sputtered. She finally gave up and opened the package. It contained two small hair clips. She went to the mirror and put them in. While she hated to prove Shinji right, they did seem to solve her fringe problem. And she did look super cute. Vanity seemed like a good enough reason to let Shinji win this one.

“Fine, I’ll wear them,” she said. “But don’t go thinking I’m going to be all grateful or whatever. You owed me this for making my hair troublesome in the first place.”

Shinji just shrugged. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

Hiyori checked her reflection in the mirror one more time. She definitely liked what she saw. 

Maybe this exile thing wasn’t going to be so bad after all.


End file.
